Seen Differently

All patterns

Migraine aura

A shimmering zigzag grows from where you look, and takes part of the world with it.

Typical visionWith migraine aura
14 min in: a shimmering zigzag arc grows outward from the point you look at, with a blind patch inside it. Move your pointer or finger to look around.

The shimmer is slow and gentle, and it stops completely if your device is set to reduce motion. If flickering light triggers seizures or migraines for you, keep the dial at Start.

Type

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What's happening

A migraine aura is a slow wave of unusual activity moving across the visual part of the brain. It usually starts as a small flickering spot near the centre of vision and spreads outward over 5 to 60 minutes, often as a C-shaped zigzag with a blind patch inside. It affects what both eyes see at once, because it happens in the brain rather than the eye, and it can come with or without a headache.

This simulation is for understanding and empathy. It is not a diagnosis and doesn't replace an eye examination.

What you might notice

A spot that shimmers

A bright, flickering patch appears near the centre and makes words vanish.

Zigzag edges

The edge often looks like a fortress wall: bright, jagged and slowly crawling outward.

It moves with your eyes

Look somewhere else and the patch follows, because it sits in the brain's map of what you see.

It passes

Most auras fade within an hour. A headache may follow, or may not come at all.

Where it gets hard

  • Reading and screens, as words disappear into the blind patch.
  • Driving, which should stop until the aura has completely gone.
  • Work and conversations, which halt with little warning.
  • Worry, because a first aura can feel like a stroke.

Often caused by

Conditions commonly linked to this pattern.

  • Migraine with aura
  • Aura without headache (sometimes called silent migraine)
  • Retinal migraine (one eye only, less common)
  • Common triggers: poor sleep, skipped meals, stress, bright or flickering light, alcohol
  • Hormonal changes

Treatment and support

An aura usually passes within an hour. Resting somewhere dark and quiet helps, and headache treatment works best taken early. If auras are frequent, a doctor can suggest preventive medicine and help you find your triggers. People who have migraine with aura are usually advised against combined hormonal contraceptives because of a raised stroke risk, so mention it to whoever prescribes them.

Looking for research you could join? Search ClinicalTrials.gov or the EU Clinical Trials register.

Get checked the same day if

It's your first aura and you're over 50, it lasts more than an hour, it affects only one eye, or it comes with weakness, numbness, a drooping face or slurred speech. A stroke or mini-stroke (TIA) can look like an aura.

If it's sudden or comes with other symptoms, go to an emergency department.

Where to learn more